SCOTIA -- A 50-year-old volunteer assistant coach for the Scotia-Glenville High School girl's varsity field hockey team has been charged with allegedly raping a 15-year-old girl during a months long secret relationship.

"This is a relationship that developed independent of school connections," said Glenville Police Chief Michael Ranalli during a news conference Wednesday at district offices to announce the arrest of David Kennedy and discuss certain aspects of the ongoing case.

The police chief and Superintendent of Schools Susan Swartz said Kennedy, who has two children at the high school, was named the assistant coach of the varsity field hockey team in the summer. Kennedy, who is employed at MVP, has also been involved with the Lady Tartans Field Hockey Club program, authorities said. They declined to say if the alleged victim is a member of the field hockey team.

"As a school community we are saddened by this," said Swartz, adding this in the first time in her six years with the district she has had to deal with something like this. The school's chief said a crisis team will be available for students and staff.

She also said Wednesday that district officials had already talked with staff and parents of the field hockey team about the situation.

Ranalli said the girl's mother took her daughter's cell phone Monday after sensing something was not right. The woman discovered the "questionable" text messages and contacted police Monday. Glenville detectives William Gallop and Michael Lamb began looking into the matter and Kennedy was arrested Tuesday afternoon. He is charged with two counts each of rape and endangering the welfare of a child and four counts of criminal sexual contact.

Asked about the nature of the text messages, Ranalli said "they indicate a caring relationship between two people." There is no indicating sexting, the exchange of sexually explicit photos took place, Ranalli said.

The chief said that the investigation is continuing but that so far police don't believe there are any more victims.

The accusations are unsettling for this small tight-knit suburban district.

"It's the loss of that trust that can be devastating and affect adolescent that are trying to develop relationships," Ranalli said.

Paul Nelson can be reached at 454-5347 or by email at pnelson@timesunion.com.